The Forest Service is seeking comment on the Sweetwater Lake Recreation Management and Development Project. On Friday, the White River National Forest sent a news release announcing the 90-day public scoping period will begin on Monday, May 6.

“Public involvement is an important part of determining the future of the Sweetwater Lake,” said Eagle-Holy Cross District Ranger Leanne Veldhuis. “This 90-day comment period offers the public an opportunity to provide their thoughts and concerns about our proposed action before we begin our detailed analysis in an environmental impact statement.”

This Proposed Action would authorize a 20-year special use permit to Colorado Parks and Wildlife, implementing and maintaining improvements outlined in the proposed action onto 832 acres of the National Forest System lands that surround Sweetwater Lake, the release stated.

This project area includes 488 acres of land that was acquired in 2021 through the Land and Water Conservation Fund. The other 344 acres are previously existing lands in the National Forest System. The project seeks to maintain the traditional recreational opportunities at Sweetwater while also minimizing impacts to natural resources and other potential conflicts from increased public interest of recreating at Sweetwater, the release stated.

“Partnering with Colorado Parks & Wildlife would allow us to more effectively manage this long-cherished area,” Veldhuis said.

Public open house meetings will be hosted by the White River National Forest in Glenwood Springs and Gypsum to provide additional information, answer questions and help the public provide more effective comments, the release stated.

The meeting on June 5, will be at the Glenwood Springs Branch Library Community Room at 815 Cooper Ave from 4 to 7 p.m. On June 6, the meeting will be at the Gypsum Recreation Center Community Room at 52 Lundgren Blvd from 6 to 9 p.m., the release stated.

More information, including the proposal and how to comment, will be available beginning May 6 at: https://cara.fs2c.usda.gov/Public//CommentInput?Project=64047 . Comments need to be received by Aug. 5, 2024, the release stated.

The proposed action is not set in stone and may change based on public comments and the environmental analysis in the Environmental Impact Statement. The more detailed the comments, the more effective they will be. Explain what you like and don’t like in the proposed action, and why, the release stated.